Emboli are intravascular masses that travel through the bloodstream. Clinical consequences may occur when an embolus lodges in a blood vessel, causing a blockage of the vessel and obstructing blood flow. The level of harm introduced by an embolism may be related to the location in the patient's vasculature where an embolus lodged. In other words, an embolus destination may determine the impact of that embolus on a patient's health. For example, a sizable embolus entering the lungs may cause a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. An embolus lodging in the brain may cause a stroke. By contrast, emboli entering vessels in muscles or the liver may have less impact on a patient's body.
Thus, a desire exists to better predict embolus destination, or locations in a vasculature that may be vulnerable to an embolism lodging at that location. By better understanding emboli destinations, practitioners may better predict the degree of harm that the emboli may inflict on a patient. Meanwhile, a desire also exists for identifying source locations of emboli causing harmful embolisms, so that treatments may be targeted at those source locations.
The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are directed to overcoming one or more of the challenges described above. The general description and detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosure.